Elizabeth Davies: These resolutions will stick

Friday

Dec 26, 2008 at 12:01 AMDec 26, 2008 at 11:44 PM

I’m not even trying to lose weight for the New Year this time around. Never mind that I’m waddling into 2009 about eight months pregnant, so weight loss is pretty much an intangible dream right now. The reality is, I’ve lived through New Year’s resolutions long enough to know that wanting to lose 10 pounds in January isn’t the same as actually doing it.

Elizabeth Davies

I’m not even trying to lose weight for the New Year this time around.

Never mind that I’m waddling into 2009 about eight months pregnant, so weight loss is pretty much an intangible dream right now. The reality is, I’ve lived through New Year’s resolutions long enough to know that wanting to lose 10 pounds in January isn’t the same as actually doing it.

Of course we want to lose weight for the New Year. We’ve spent so long gorging on cut-out cookies and veggie dip that the idea of nothing but brown rice and fruit actually sounds appealing. The problem is, healthy food tends to lose its appeal far sooner than junk food does. Hence the reason we’re back to wings and dip by the Super Bowl.

The problem with most New Year’s resolutions is that they’re way too big-picture. Sure, we want to be 15 pounds lighter by swimsuit season — but that’s really hard to envision when we’re decked out in turtlenecks and Ugg boots, shoveling our latest gift from Mother Nature.

And yes, it absolutely makes sense to balance our checkbooks regularly, make it to church every Sunday or set aside a few hours a week to help out at the soup kitchen. They’re all worthy goals. But the problem is, we have to actually change our regular habits and carve out time for the new stuff.

Then there are the vague resolutions: “I vow to be a better friend.” Or the resolutions that are out of our control: “I resolve to get a raise at work.”

Last year, my husband and I — both task-oriented individuals — made a point of setting up very specific New Year’s resolutions. Things like “We will spend every Tuesday night together” or “We will go out to dinner by ourselves once a week.”

For a few months, it worked. Our friends were amazed that we managed to get out on weekly date nights. Then, sometime in early summer, the baby sitter couldn’t make it. Then we got sick. And before we knew it, we had to wrack our brains to remember our last, honest-to-goodness date.

With a new baby on the way, I know better than to assume date nights are going to resume anytime soon. But there are a few resolutions I can make for 2009 that I’m fairly certain will hold:

I resolve to enjoy every last piece of chocolate that heads my way.

I resolve to partake in Sunday afternoon naps as frequently as possible.

I resolve to be back at the gym six weeks after having my baby. This one is actually easier than it sounds — the gym has both child care and showers, the two things a new mom wants most.

I resolve to shamelessly devour at least one gossip mag every six weeks, while I’m getting my hair done.

And finally: I resolve to spend at least one day in my pajamas, eating pancakes for lunch.